How To: Be A Good House Guest

5- Contribute

Gesture is king. Before every meal, offer your services. Odds are good you'll be turned down. Offer to prep some of the food, to help set the table or to get drinks for others. Afterwards, when you're all finished eating, don't offer to help clear it; just start doing it. Then, you can offer to help with the dishes. Again, you'll probably be turned down, but the gesture will go a long way.

Also, don't forget to make your bed first thing in the morning. You should never leave a messy bed on display until noon — not only does it look slobby, but your hosts will think that you're waiting for them to clean up after you. Remember: This isn't a hotel.

Now, all this contributing doesn't mean you should be mowing their lawn or emptying the litter box. Your efforts should be particular to you and to your visit.

6- Defer to your hosts

Again, think gesture. Always defer to all residents of the house as often as you can. They probably told you: "Hey, help yourself to anything." Don't take that literally. Be willing to hand over the TV remote, and check before you cash out the last few beers in the fridge. Odds are, in almost every situation, they'll be quick to defer right back to you.

7- Don't be a big disruption

Remember: The lives of your hosts haven't stopped simply because you're on vacation. Your visit is, in essence, a disruption to their daily routines — a welcome one, yes, but a disruption nonetheless. They might have to work all day and keep you entertained at night. It makes for an exhausting day. So consider taking the load off of them and volunteering to take yourself sightseeing.

8- Be cool

If something unplanned happens in your travel schedule that prevents you from doing something with your host, don't sweat it. Clichs like "going with the flow" and "When in Rome..." come to mind. You'll get your time together, so it's best not to put yourself or your host under any added stress.